Carbon copier



F. W. VOLLANS CARBON COPIER Dec. 15, 1936."

2 SheetsSheet 1 Filed Feb. 25, 1954 [mi avatar j/QM 4! WM Attorney Dec. 15, '1936. w, VOLLANS CARBON COPIER Filed Feb. 23, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Patented Dec. 15, 1936 Frederick w. Vollans, Orillia, Ontario, Canada, I assignor. to Frank Frederic Barber," Toronto,

Ontario, Canada Application February 23, 1934, Serial No. 712,592 I 18' Claims. (01. 197-126) i The invention relates to improvements in carbon copiers for typewriters as described in the present specification and shown in the accompanying drawings which form part of the'same.

This invention appertains to the employment of a carbon strip in place of the conventional sheet for 'obtaining copies of typewritten matter. Whilst such a carbon strip has already been adapted for this purpose, the means for holding the carbon strip in the typewriter and accommodating its insertion and removal have been somewhat cumbersome. The present invention has for its object the provision of a typewriter attachment for facilicopies from strips of carbon paper.

.Asalient featureof the invention is that it provides for gradually shifting the carbon'strip so that wear upon 'it will take place uniformly. This not only prolongs its'life but also'enables the maximum 'of servicerto be obtained from the carbon. 1 In usingcarbon in thestrip form'there results considerable w'ejcon'omy over the; adoption of the "regular" sheet form, particularly seine instant invetion causes distribution 'of' wear uniformly over thestrip.

of the typewriter in order to impart an endwise' movement to the'holder each time this lever is operated. This shifts the holder along angular guiding elements that impart a simultaneousum' ward motion which evenly 'distributes'wear on the carbon. The holder is returned by gravity assistedj' by'the percussion of the keys. Several holders are employed to obtain a plurality of copies;

Referring'to the accompanying drawings, Fig

ure-il is a. fragmentaryview.throughithe carriage of a typewriter depicting the roller and its associated parts together with the present invention.

Figure a carbon strip. v

Figure 31s a left end view thereof. Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the v 4-1-4 of Figure 2 and'viewed in thedirection of the arrows. Y

- Figure 5 is a partial view of a holder vwithout a follower plate. I r I Figure 6 is a vertical section taken on the tating' and expediting the making "of carbon 2 is an elevation of a holder fitted with line line 6--6 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows. i

Figure 7 is a plan view of Figure- 6. f v

Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the mounting of the holder in the bracket at the right end Of'thB carriage.-

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the bracket open to insert or remove the holder. 7

Figure 10ls a cross section of the cam mechanism, which'view is taken on line Ill-JD of Figure l.

Figure 11 is avertical section through the line'space lever and the cam.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in each of the figures throughout the drawings of the invention.

The present invention is especially designed for attachment to a standard typewriter and in illustrating it a sufficient portionof the typewriter is shown to depict the mode of attachment thereto and the manner of its use.

The reference numeral l2 denotes the roller or platen which is mounted in the'carria'ge, of; which. only the end members 13 and I3 are depicted. The knobs for manually turning the roll-' er are indicated at I 2' and the type guide and" ribbon at I2". I

For the purpose of best disclosing the invention, triplicate sheets of paper are shown in po-, sition' in thetypetvriter. The first sheet A is the original sheet that receives the ink impressions from the usual ribbon I!" under impact of the keys. The sheet B is the second sheet orthe first carbon copy and C the secondcarbon copy. In. carrying out the invention carbon 5 strips H are provided of about equal width to the typewriter ribbonand of a; slightly greater length than theroller- Thestrips terminate in loops l4 for hooking onto the holders and coextend with the roller. I p

I In making a single copy, only one holder is required, but for multiple copies the number would vary in accordance with that of the copies. The holders are of identical construction with the exception of a follower plate with which only one needbe equipped. In making a single carbon copy. the holder with the follower plate is used, and in making a plurality of copies another holder or holders are used with it.,.-

A holderconsists of a substantiaily U -shaped metal 'framefli having short depending legs I5. The legs are cut away near'their' ends'in order to provide seats'li'f for the loops of the carbon strip. The frame possesses a certain amount of inher- 55 cut resiliency and the carbon strip is fitted on it by forcing the legs inwardly sufficient to slip the loops l4. over them so as to occupy the seats. The legs maintain the carbon taut and enable it to be readily removed when worn so as to be replaced by a fresh one.

From each end of the frame a lug l6 outwardly extends and is preferably integrally constructed. The lugs are of a uniform width and angularly directed with respect to the plane of the frame. The lugs form a part of the floating suspension for the holder. The complementary part consists of brackets ll, one of which is attached to each of the end members l3. I3 of the carriage. The brackets have slots I8 in'which the inclined lugs l6 rest, and due to the lugs having a common angular inclination, the holder has a declde d propensity to gravitate towards the left-hand side of the carriage. This tendency is assisted by the percussion of the keys in typing.

It is preferable tolock the lugsln the brackets by means of keepers l9 pivoted at l9 to the respective brackets and supplied with elements 19" that swing over the slots H! to secure the lugs therein-as best seen in Figure 8.

To remove the frame the keepers are pulled back to an open position as shown in Figure 9.

To shift the carbon strip during typing in order to distribute wear upon it, the line space lever 20 is taken advantage of so as to operate cam mechanism associated with the holder. The mechanism comprises a cam 2| having a substantial internal bore 2| and a pair of spring pressed pawls 22. Within the bore is a pair of ratchet wheels, one above the other. The lower ratchet wheel 23 has a flange 23 against which the cam is shouldered. This ratchet wheel is integral with or secured to the boss 24 that pivots the line space lever to'the stud 25 on the carriage end member l3. By this construction it will be apparent that the lower ratchet wheel moves with the line space lever.

The upper ratchet .wheel' 26 is shouldered against the cam by a flange 26' and has a shank 26" immovably secured to the stud 25 by a threaded connection 21. One of the pawls is engaged with thelower ratchet wheel 23 so that as the line space, lever is shifted to advance the roller, the cam will be simultaneously turned a fraction of a revolution. The other pawl is engaged with the upper or stationary ratchet wheel in order to prevent retrograde movement of the cam with the return of the levers A follower platen is integral with the lug lb of one of the holder frames and abuts the cam so that as it is turned step by stepit will shift the holder towards the right-hand side of the frame and thus cause the inclined lugs to ascend the brackets. This imparts an endwise and upward movement to the holder in a vertical plane. As the cam recedes, the holder is free to return by gravity aided by percussion of the keys. In the use of two or more holders, the one with the follower plate is placed to the rear of the others in order that the follower plate will abut the adjacent lug or lugs of such other holders to concurrently shift themsee Figure 7. 1

In using the holders they are placed between the sheets of paper, in the machine so that it feeds under the frame portion of the holders.

It will be manifest that changes and modifications may be resorted to as coming within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is1-- 1. The combination with a typewriter carriage and a movable elementthereof actuated in typing, of a holder for extending across the carriage, a carbon strip linearly carried by the holder, opposing brackets mounted on the carriage, elements associated with the brackets for loosely supporting the holder therein and guiding it in a vertical plane, and mechanism forming a connection between the holder and the aforesaid actuated element of the carriage to impart a shifting movement to the holder.

'2. The combination with a typewriter carriage anda movable element thereof actuated in typing, of a holder for extending across the carriage, a carbon strip linearly carried by the holder, opposing brackets mounted on the carriage, lugs extending from the holder and presenting inclined faces engaged with the brackets to guide the holder for shifting up and down in a vertical plane, and mechanism forming a connection between the holder and the aforesaidactuated element of the carriage to impart a shifting movement to the holder.

3. The combination with a typewriter carriage and a movable element thereof actuated in typing, of a holder for extending across the carriage, a carbon strip linearly carried by the holder, opposing brackets mounted on the carriage, lugs integrally extending endwise from the holder in a common angular direction and in a vertical plane, said lugs being loosely engaged in the brackets to bodily raise the holder when it is shifted longitudinally, and mechanism forming a connection between the holder and the aforesaid actuated element of the carriage to impart a shifting movement to the holder.

4. The combination with a typewriter carriage and a movable element thereof actuated in typing, of a holder for extending across the carriage, a carbon strip linearly carried by the holder, opposing brackets mounted on the carriage, said brackets, having slots in their upper portions, keepers pivoted to the brackets and fashioned with elements to swing over said slots, lugs integrally extending from the holder in a common angular direction and engaged in the slots of the brackets. and v mechanism forming a, connection between the holder and the aforesaid actuated element of the carriage to impart a shifting movement to the holder. f

5. The combination with a typewriter carriage and the line space lever thereof, of an elongated holder, a carbon strip stretched thereacross, brackets floatingly mounting the holder in the carriage for combined horizontal and vertical movement, the holder being free of physical connection with the brackets, a follower plate rigid with said holder, and mechanism connected to saidlever for shifting the holder endwise, said mechanism including a cam for engaging said follower plate and a ratchet mechanism interposed between the lever and the cam.

6. The combination with a typewriter carriage and the line space lever thereof, of a plurality of holders, carbon strips stretched thereacross, a follower-plate attached to one of the holders and abutting the other holders, brackets mounting the holders for movement at an upward angle in the carriage, a cam mounted on the aforesaid line space lever for engaging said follower-plate, a pair of ratchet wheels one of which is rigid with the carriage and the other rigid with the said lever, and a pair of spring-urged pawls mounted in the cam and engaged with the ratchet wheels respectively.

7. The combination with a typewriter carriage and the line space lever thereof, of a holder, a carbon strip stretched thereacross, a followerplate rigid with said holder, brackets mounting the holder for movement at an upward angle in the carriage, a cam mounted on the aforesaid line space lever for engaging said follower-plate, a pair of ratchet wheels connected with said cam one of which is rigid with the carriage and the other rigid with the said lever, and a pair of spring-urged pawls mounted in the cam and engaged with the ratchet wheels respectively.

8. The combination with a typewriter carriage and a movable element thereof actuated in typing, of a plurality of holders for extending across the carriage, carbon strips linearly carried by the holders, opposing brackets mounted on the care riage, elements associated with the brackets for loosely supporting the holders therein and. guiding them in vertical planes, mechanism forming a connection between one of the holders and the aforesaid actuated element of the carriage to impart a shifting movement to this holder, and means for imparting the shifting movement to the other holders.

9. The combination with a typewriter provided with a platen, of a frame extending longitudinally of the platen and carrying a transfer strip; means for supporting the frame on the typewriter so that it is movable both longitudinally and transversely of the platen; means whereby movement of the frame longitudinally is accompanied by a movement transversely; and means on the typewriter for effectinga stepwise reciprocating movement of the said frame.

10. The combination with a typewriter provided with a platen of a frame carrying a transfer strip; inclined guiding means for the said frame such that an endwise movement of the frame is accompanied by a movement transversely of the platen; and means on the typewriter for effecting such motion.

11'. The combination with a typewriter provided with a platen of a frame carrying a transfer strip; inclined guiding means for the said frame such that an endwise movement of the frame is accompanied by a movement transversely of the platen; and means on the typewriter for effecting a stepwise reciprocating movement of the said frame.

12. The combination with a typewriter provided with a platen of a frame carrying-a transfer strip, inclined guiding means for the said frame such that an endwise movement of the frame is accompanied by a movement transversely of the platen; a cam rotatably mounted on the typewriter and bearing against the frame for effecting such motion; and means for effecting a stepwise rotary movement of the said cam.

13. The combination with a typewriter of a frame carrying a transfer strip; inclined guiding means for the said frame such that an endwise movement of the frame is accompanied by a movement transversely of the platen; and means on the typewriter for effecting such motion ineluding part of the platen shifting mechanism of the typewriter.

14. The combination with a typewriter provided with a platen of a frame extending longitudinally of the platen and carrying a transfer strip; means for supporting the frame on the typewriter so that it is movable both longitudinally and transversely of the platen; means whereby movement of the frame longitudinally is accompanied by a movement transversely; and

means for automatically imparting movement to the said frame in synchronism'with the rotary movements of the platen.

15. The combination with a typewriter carriage and the line space lever thereof, of a holder for holding a carbon strip stretched thereacross,

a follower plate rigid with said holder, brackets mounting the holder for movement at an upward angle in the carriage, a cam mounted on the aforesaid line space lever for engaging said follower plate, a plurality of ratchet wheels within aforesaid line space lever for engaging said follower plate, a plurality of ratchet wheels within said cam one of which is movable with said lever and another of which is stationary and pawls mounted in said cam and urged against said rachets.

17. The combination with a typewriter carriage and the line space lever thereof, of a holder for holding a carbon strip stretched thereacross, a follower plate rigid with said holder, brackets mounting the holder for movement at an upward angle in the carriage, a cam mounted on the aforesaid line space lever for engaging said follower plate, a plurality of superposed rachet wheels within said cam one of which is movable with said lever and means for maintaining the advanced position of said movable rachet when actuated by said lever. I

18. The combination with a typewriter carriage and the line space lever thereof, of a holder for holding a carbon strip stretched thereacross, a follower plate rigid with said holder, brackets mounting the holder for movement at an upward angle in the carriage, a cam mounted on the aforesaid line spacelever for engaging said follower plate, a rachet wheel within the cam and movable with the line space lever, a pawl within the cam to maintain said cam in a position to which it is advanced by movement of said lever, and means above said rachet for preventing retrograde-movement of the cam with return of the line space lever. I

FREDERICK W. VOLLANS. 

